A Spider's Will
by Otter and Dragon
Summary: The Avenger's are given an assignment to rescue a young woman from India, and now they have to make her become one of them - without scaring her - or lose a secret that could doom the world's heroes. - Bruce/OC Tasha/Clint Steve/Tony


Otter: We don't own the Avenger or anything associated to them, nor do we own Mario Kart or Black Sabbath

Dragon :Yeah, she won't let me have Loki or Bruce or Clint or…

Otter: Shut up and let them read idiot.

/

Liv, Britta, and Lilette teleported back into Avengers tower, bloody and beaten. They had been sent on a mission to Delhi, India to find Iso-8 and beat out Hydra's influence in India. They'd won, barely, but they had gotten a prize, the true objective of their mission. Clutched in Britta's arms was a frail person, so thin they were unable to tell whether the waif was male or female. The large sable-haired woman was clutching the small person to her chest much like a baby and she looked around the room in a manner akin to a feral animal, looking for some threat. Seeing none and realizing that they were back at the Avengers Tower, she relaxed her hold on her precious cargo. Liv, her black hair disheveled, the rainbow stripes sticking up, resembling the horns adorning her brother's helmet, stooped down to relieve her niece of their new charge. Lilette, looking bored and only slightly grimy, wandered out of the room to go take a shower.

Bruce and Loki, who had been playing Mario Kart on the massive flat screen, dropped their remotes and rushed to the women. Liv, who looked about to pass out, set the person into Bruce's arms. She slowly turned and crumpled, Loki barely managing to catch her. Holding his sister gently, he looked at Britta, questioning "May I ask who is under all that dirt?" He raised an eyebrow at his daughter.

"Her name is Melpomene Kleio, no known last name. Her brains are, apparently, on par with Tony's AND yours, Bruce," Britta nodded at the scientist holding the girl, "She understands 12 languages, fluently, and she's only 18."

Bruce looked at her, amazed. "I can't wait to talk to her."

Britta looked exhausted, "From what we heard, she's been abused and doesn't speak. When she does, it's generally not English. During the battle, during her terror, she was shouting in Hindi and Russian at the same time, before she collapsed and I managed to get her before she was crushed by a burning timber. That sucker hurt though when it hit me."

Bruce chuckled, "I can imagine. Why didn't y'all take the big guy with you?"

Britta shrugged, "Fury's orders. I personally like fighting along with the Hulk, but whatever." She sat heavily on the floor, her normally pale skin darkening to a blue, and eyes bleeding red, her Jotun heritage bleeding through.

"Uh, Britta? You're blue."Bruce chortled at her.

"Shuddup, I'm tired and bleeding and sore in places I didn't even know I could be sore." She groaned, placing one steel blue hand against her forehead. "I'm probably also about 40 degrees to touch." She got to her feet, slowly and revealing the amount pain she was in. "With Liv out of touch with reality, I've got to wash and make poor Poma here presentable to keep from offending poor Tony's delicate sensibilities."

"What's that about my sensibilities?" Stark walked in, wearing a Black Sabbath shirt and jeans. He saw the dirty human in the doctor's arms, the rainbow ninja passed out in Loki's arms, and the Jotun girl standing gingerly, bleeding all over his silk shag carpets. "Hey, Jackie Frost, mind taking your dirty little friend and getting cleaned up so that you don't stain my carpets anymore."

Britta gently lifted the young woman from Bruce's arms and as she passed, she deliberately stomped on Tony's foot with her heavy steel toed combat boots.

Tony looked hurt as Britta stormed out of the room carrying the young woman. "What did I do?"

Britta gently lowered the slender young woman into the porcelain bathtub. "Auntie."

^A^

Liv walked in, "What is it, Britta?"

"Come look at this," She stated as she held the weak woman up. Liv saw the criss-crossed scars on her back. Britta asked, "What should we do?"

Liv replied, "Clean her up for now. I'll do what I can afterward. Speak of this to no one and I mean NO ONE. She'll explain when she's ready."

"Yes, ma'am," Britta cleaned the young woman and dressed her in a silk, black turtle neck. Then she laid the woman on a bed and stood by to watch her aunt work her magic. All the various little cuts and bruises vanished leaving small, unnoticeable scars. It was in that moment, that she awoke and sat up, frightened. She tried to scramble backwards, but she couldn't go any further because she came in contact with the head board.

"Shh… calm down, miss. You're safe," Liv soothed.

In Hindi, the woman asked, "Where am I? Who are you? What are you doing to me?"

"You're in New York and I was healing your physical injuries. My name is Liv."

The woman looked confused, "New York?" She asked, still speaking in Hindi.

"America," Liv informed her.

"How did I get here? And who is she?" She pointed to Britta.

Liv explained, "That is my niece, Britta. We ported you here."

"Ported?" There was a massive explosion nearby and it shook the room. Melpomene moved quickly, as she hid under the bed, trembling in fear.

"Teleported," Liv explained.

"What was that?" She mumbled.

Britta sighed, "It was probably Tony."

Melpomene looked at her puzzled, "Tony?"

"Another tenet in the building." Liv explained.

Melpomene slowly came out from under the bed. "How many are there?"

"Tenets? Oh, ten or so." Liv stated.

Melpomene asked, "What building is this?"

Liv announced, "The Avengers Tower."

"Avengers," Her voice was quiet. Then recognition appeared in her eyes. Then she murmured in French, "Merde*."

"What?" Liv questioned.

"Another secret agency, more experiments," She groaned.

"We are not a secret agency. We protect people," Liv stated.

Melpomene asked, "How do I know that?"

"I give you my word as a goddess and a queen." Liv promised. Poma stared a little skeptical. Liv sighed. "I'll kill anyone who tries."

"Are you a goddess too?" Poma asked Britta.

Britta questioned, "Me? Yes, well sort of."

Poma's face fell. "You're not kidding…are you?"

"No." Liv shook her head. "Don't let the jeans fool you. I'm extremely powerful with my magic."

"And that's how you…healed me?" Poma connected.

Liv stated, "Yes. One of my talents is healing."

"Can…anybody else…do what you do?" Her eyes shifted to Britta.

"My brother has similar magic, Britta does as well. My other brother has other talents. The rest as simply advanced humans."

Poma asked, "Advanced…humans?" Her eyebrows raised a little.

"Simply people who are more intelligent or stronger than a normal human. We have three here who have slight mutations but nothing major." Liv explained.

"Who are they?"

Liv announced, "Steve, Lilette and Bruce. My brothers are Loki and Thor." Poma turned to the door ,confusion and fear overwhelming her. "Melpomene," Liv called ,concerned and Loki appeared beside her, in full uniform, and when Melpomene turned and saw him, she let out a blood curdling scream. "Damn it Loki, I was just getting her to calm down."

Melpomene screamed in German, "Es ist ein Dämon aus der Hölle Rentier!**" Liv looked at her and helplessly busted out laughing. Poma stopped panting and stared at everyone. "What?"

"That's not the first time he's been called a reindeer, but I think that's one of the most extreme reactions yet." Liv stated. Melpomene stared them like they were all crazy. Liv wiped her hand across her face and through her hair, the black lightening to a soft blonde. "I'm sorry, dear."

Poma whispered. "Are the others as scary as he is?"

"Thank Odin, no. They can be annoying though." Liv replied. Thor burst into the room.

Loki pressed his palm to his face. "Thor, you idiot. I told you not to follow." Melpomene slowly turned and saw Thor.

"Ah, brother, sister, who might this be?" He asked.

Melpomene stared at Thor, "Oh, doamne.***" Her eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped. Then she fell backwards…unconscious.

Liv caught her, "Thor, out,"

"But…" Thor began but Liv cut him off.

"Out!" Thor left and Melpomene began to stir.

"W-what…" She began as she sat up.

"That…was Thor."

"Your…other…brother?" Melpomene asked.

Liv smiled, "Yeah,"

Melpomene observed. "He was…big,"

"Yeah. He gets that a lot.

"Where is everyone else?" She asked.

Liv announced, "On assignment."

Poma looked at Liv, "On assignment?"

"Yes," Liv explained. "Mostly repairs and rescues now."

"Miss Liv," Jarvis' voice sounded overhead. Melpomene looked up frightened.

"Yes, Jarvis," Liv called.

"Director Fury would like to talk to you and Miss Melpomene."

Poma declared, "The ghost knows my name."

Liv smiled softly, "He's a computer,"

"Oh,"

"Come on kiddo," Liv said as she stood up. Melpomene followed Liv out the door, giving Loki a quick, nervous glance.

/

A/N Reviews are greatly appreciated and flames will be given to the Hulk as Toys. Note: in this piece of fiction Loki IS an Avenger to 'Pay Penance' of sorts from the movie.

Translations

*French – "Damn"

**German –" "It's a demon reindeer from hell"

***Romanian – "Oh my God."


End file.
